Recognizing and Responding to Cat Emergencies

Cats are especially prone to injuries due to their curious and playful natures. It is good to be able to read and respond to emergency distress signals from your cat. As a note of caution, it is best to let your Vet handle extensive injuries or to have your pet checked after successfully applying a home remedy.

Choking

A choking cat will obviously show immediate distress. Pay attention to extreme drooling, gagging and repeated face pawing. Do not just place your fingers inside your cat’s mouth and start pulling. You may push foreign objects farther down or accidentally pull on your cat’s bone at the base of the tongue. Make sure you can see and identify a foreign object before attempting to extract it.

Remove your cat’s collar and hold your cat’s mouth open. Gently pull her tongue out so you can look at her mouth and throat. You can try to extract a foreign object with your fingers or a pair of small tweezers.

Poisoning

Cats can get poisoned by household cleaning and detergent items or pesticides. They may also get poisoned by seemingly harmless house items such as plants and food. If you suspect that your cat has been poisoned, your first step should be to seek immediate medical help. Some cat owners may attempt to induce vomiting by making their cats swallow hydrogen peroxide. Do this only however if you are absolutely certain that the cause of poisoning is not caustic. To avoid future poisoning incidents, keep all poisonous items under lock and key and replace toxic plants with non-toxic ones. This subject and many others are covered in greater detail in the ebook Toxic to Cats! 

Heat Stroke

Your cat could suffer from a coma and possibly die if you expose her to too much sun or leave her in warm and closed quarters. Watch out for signs that could lead to heat stroke like panting, agitation, grogginess and foaming. Immediately remove her from the warm area and wet her with water. Bring her as soon as you can to her Veterinarian. If you have time to take her temperature, you should carefully note that your cat may be in danger if her temperature goes over 106 degrees Fahrenheit. Never leave your cat in the car in the summer heat. The temperature in the car can very quickly shoot up to levels that can cause death in a very short time.

Electrical Shock

If your cat gets electrocuted do not immediately grab and try to pull your cat away from exposed cords. You might also endanger your life by touching your cat and do not get any liquid on the area or the exposed cords. Initially remove your cat from the area with a wooden or plastic broom handle and wrap her in a warm towel. You will know if your cat is in serious shock if she is unconscious and rigid, if she has pale gums, a slow heartbeat and rapid breathing. Since your cat probably has lower blood supply to the brain, keep your cat’s head lower than her heart and rush her immediately to the Veterinarian. If your cat is bleeding, apply direct pressure to the injured part.